Pack First to Offer DC Athlete

NC State was the first school to extend an offer to Washington (DC) Friendship athlete Chigozie Onyekwere.

Chigozie Onyekwere has been a long-time priority for Tom O'Brien and the NC State football program.

That might be an understatement. Now only to be a junior when school starts in the fall, Onyekwere had had an offer from NC State ever since he was a freshman heading into his sophomore year.

Many of the nation's top football players don't receive offers that early. That's a sign that the Pack liked what they saw early on with the 5-11, 191-pound athlete from Friendship H.S. in Washington D.C.

"I talk to NC State all the time," Onyekwere told Pack Pride. "Coach Willis and coach Reed are mainly the coaches I talk to. Coach Willis is my main guy, my main recruiter.

"I have family there in North Carolina and it's a place I really like. I've been to North Carolina (the state) but never to NC State yet. I will be visiting though.

"I like what they do down there and how they treat football and how they go about it."

NC State is the only school that has offered so far but Onyekwere has been hearing from programs from the ACC, SEC, Big East and Big Ten.

In the past he has visited Pittsburgh and Tennessee. Coaches from both schools are staying in touch with him and Onyekwere said he also keeps in contact with South Carolina, Georgia and Ohio State.

While NC State is his only offer and Onyekwere claims a lot of interest in the Wolfpack it appears some other schools have the early advantage.

"My favorites right now are Florida, Florida State, South Carolina, Georgia and also Oklahoma State," he said. "I like Oklahoma State just because of the way they run their offense. Being a receiver that really favors me.

"I grew up watching Florida so they'll always be up there regardless. Florida State is the same thing. I just really want to go somewhere hot and play football. Anywhere hot. South Carolina and Georgia too. They've got down to earth coaches that teach good football."